Halloween, 2014

Up in the village, the smaller children will be going round the houses “guising”.  They will be dressed up and most can be unrecognisable!  They will sing a verse, say a poem, tell a joke and then get a treat – a few sweets, some fruit, perhaps a 20p.  As none of the children live near this part of the village, we shall not have guisers – unless the odd stray disguised adult!

My last guest of 2014, Elizabeth from Germany, was here last week and left on the morning train on the 24^th.  I hope you enjoyed the concerts in Dunblane, Elizabeth and got home safely.  Thank you for the gifts you brought.

I was in Edinburgh the week before.  Moira was at a course till the Thursday and Colin took the boys to Blackpool for a couple of days.  Catriona and I had fun!  Sam arrived on the Sunday and Moira and I saw him off to Sydney the next morning, early.  He is enjoying his time in Westmead Hospital and will be there till Christmas, when he will head north to Toowoomba, for a few days with Ian and Alison.

All this year I have been delighted to tell you about the good weather.  Well, on the 20^th, as I was travelling home from Edinburgh, it got more and more wild and I was meeting the tail end of hurricane Gonzola!  It was in no hurry to pass and we were battered by gale force winds and torrential rain for about ten days.  The result has been many landslides, north, south and east of us – we were cut off briefly, as the trains were affected too – still are!

I have happy memories of this year’s busy time, when I met so many old friends and made many new friends.  Thank you all for coming to stay with Ruah and me.  We loved every minute!

I hope you will come again, if not next year, and then soon - please do not try to beat the 38 year gap of Ron and Janet, the 35years of Brian Dunn (see you in April, hopefully!) and the 20 years of Tony and Sandra!!!  It was marvellous to see you all again. And Richard and Angela, in China right now – did you do enough practising with the chop sticks?  Say hello to James from me….

It may well be a quiet winter, but I’ll remember this year with such pleasure - you were all special, wonderful guests……

My thoughts at this time are with Ian and my sister in law Alice, in hospital in Toowoomba and Nuneaton.  Get better soon and come home…  I wish I were nearer….

Ann